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How does a compressor "gel" loops together?

I've heard that compressor can gel elements together on a master bus or a percussion bus. Is this because the compressor reduces the time and volume of one element being louder than another?

for the most part yes. a compressor does exactly as the name indicates. it compresses sound and it's going to make those loops sound better together just as normalizing does after you record a mix. There are some factors that come into play with the compression settings but from a fundamental standpoint yes, its the way the sound is processed (and compressed) that makes loops (and bass lines especially when they change octaves) sound more cohesive.

it just does. it's magic.

"gel" "glue" all buzwords.......

just play with input gain, output gain, attack, release and ratio and you will hear what it does.....

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Originally posted by Raphie "gel" "glue" all buzwords.......

...along with "tight", "punch", "clarity", and "sparkle".

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Originally posted by Raphie "gel" "glue" all buzwords....... just play with input gain, output gain, attack, release and ratio and you will hear what it does.....

Thankfully, I've gotten better advice to set a compressor than "play around with the knobs."

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Originally posted by Beatflux Thankfully, I've gotten better advice to set a compressor than "play around with the knobs."

Just turn the threshold knob as far to the left as it will go and max out the ratio and you should be fine.

Here is the glue you were looking for:

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Originally posted by Beatflux Thankfully, I've gotten better advice to set a compressor than "play around with the knobs."

Curious what that is then, since there is no standard recipe for compression settings. every compressor has different character and every instrument needs different treatment.

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Originally posted by Raphie Curious what that is then, since there is no standard recipe for compression settings. every compressor has different character and every instrument needs different treatment.

Yep, after producing for half a decade i barely know how to handle a compressor.

The results of it are extremely fine and subtle, its a soundshaping tool that can have very little audible results, but necessary for the big picture.

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Originally posted by Subtle Yep, after producing for half a decade i barely know how to handle a compressor. The results of it are extremely fine and subtle, its a soundshaping tool that can have very little audible results, but necessary for the big picture.

Never quite sure why people always want to have everything done for them, best way to learn is to experiment.

I'm still new to producing..but, I'm sure compressors help to eliminate competing frequencies when applied to individual sounds. I assume when compressing several sounds together (a drum loop) you are causing the extreme portion of the dynamics to be less perceivable.

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Originally posted by EddieZilker ...along with "tight", "punch", "clarity", and "sparkle".

You forgot "warmth"

and "ambiance" "balls" "grunt"

Rounded......

thx for the thread. any compressor recommendations?

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Originally posted by music2dance2 You forgot "warmth"

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Originally posted by Raphie and "ambiance" "balls" "grunt"

...and "detail", "shine", "sheen"

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Originally posted by hasbone it just does. it's magic.

This. Compressors magicly transforms a shitty mix into a beautiful master.

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Originally posted by Stylz I'm sure compressors help to eliminate competing frequencies when applied to individual sounds.

That's actually a equalizer or a sidechain compressor, a normal compressor doesn't eliminate frequencies, it - as it says - compresses the sound. It basicly does the following: If you take a sound, in the waveform there are lot's of peaks, some higher that the other. A compressor reduces those peaks, basicly squashing the waveform together.

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I assume when compressing several sounds together (a drum loop) you are causing the extreme portion of the dynamics to be less perceivable.

It's the art not to do that, compression is often overused and kills the dynamics doing so, and that's not what you want!

A compressor lowers the volume when the incoming signal goes over the compressor's threshold.

People think compression is this magic "gel", that it does things to frequencies, all these other things.

A compressor turns the volume down when the incoming audio is loud enough, when it's over the specified threshold. That's it. That's all.

Yes, HOW it turns the volume down, how quickly, how much, and how quickly the volume is turned back up when the incoming audio gets quieter and drops back below the threshold, will affect what the end result will be.

And, as a result of turning the volume down when the audio is loud, but leaving the volume at full when the audio is quiet, the signal is "compressed". The dynamic range is reduced. Then you can turn the volume up and the average level of the audio will be higher.

There are exotic "compressors" which may only affect certain frequencies, or have other modifications. But standard compressors only turn the volume down. That's all they do.

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Originally posted by Theran That's actually a equalizer or a sidechain compressor, a normal compressor doesn't eliminate frequencies, it - as it says - compresses the sound. It basicly does the following: If you take a sound, in the waveform there are lot's of peaks, some higher that the other. A compressor reduces those peaks, basicly squashing the waveform together. It's the art not to do that, compression is often overused and kills the dynamics doing so, and that's not what you want!

Yeah, I was visualizing higher peaks as higher frequencies, but they are just higher in volume, my mistake.

The second part though, I'll have to disagree with you on.

great post by derail!

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Originally posted by Stylz Yeah, I was visualizing higher peaks as higher frequencies, but they are just higher in volume, my mistake. The second part though, I'll have to disagree with you on.

Well, if a compressor is overused (say, compressing something to hard), it kills the dynamics. A compressor is a tools which need to be handled with care. It takes a lot of time to know how to control a compressor.

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Originally posted by Subtle The results of it are extremely fine and subtle, its a soundshaping tool that can have very little audible results, but necessary for the big picture.

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Originally posted by Domesticated

Was there something that did not make sense to you ?

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